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Did the elderly suffer more from housing deprivation? Evidence from Poland

Anna Matel (Department of Sustainable Development, University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland)
Jacek Marcinkiewicz (Institute of Quantitative Methods, University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland)

International Journal of Social Economics

ISSN: 0306-8293

Article publication date: 11 December 2020

Issue publication date: 6 January 2021

171

Abstract

Purpose

The elderly seem to be more subject to housing problems due to lower income, older age of the housing stock and lower mobility. Nonetheless, housing deprivation (HD) is commonly analysed amongst the general population. Less is known about the differences between age clusters, which seems to be a crucial issue in countries like Poland due to population ageing. What is more, the current literature usually analyses only the occurrence of HD, while also an accumulation of its indicators seems to be substantial. The aim of this article is to identify the differences in HD (its occurrence and accumulation) amongst elderly and non-elderly households and to diagnose the risk factors behind those phenomena.

Design/methodology/approach

The HD index was calculated and compared. Next, the multinomial logit models were used to assess risk factors of HD.

Findings

The study showed that, surprisingly, HD in Poland occurs more frequently amongst non-elderly households. The elderly ones suffered more from housing cost overburden, while non-elderly from the overpopulation. In large part, analysed risk factors had a stronger influence on housing conditions of the elderly than non-elderly households.

Social implications

Social policy tools should focus on the situation of single elderly households, especially living in houses, often in villages. This group is particularly affected by problems with the quality of the dwelling and housing cost overburden.

Originality/value

In the paper, the occurrence and accumulation of HD indicators were analysed. The authors applied a methodological framework that is applicable to other European Union (EU) member states based on the EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) data. It is possible to continue the research study and compare different economies.

Keywords

Citation

Matel, A. and Marcinkiewicz, J. (2021), "Did the elderly suffer more from housing deprivation? Evidence from Poland", International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 48 No. 1, pp. 105-119. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-06-2020-0363

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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